The technology utilized in off-road vehicle racing has advanced substantially in recent years. These specialized vehicles have sophisticated suspension systems and high powered motors allowing the vehicles to achieve speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour over rough terrain. Many off-road races, such as the SCORE INTERNATIONAL® Baja 1000, require specialized lighting systems be equipped on the vehicles in order to be competitive in night racing conditions. Not only must these light systems be able to survive the high vibration loads encountered under race conditions, but they must be adjustable to optimize visibility for the driver. For instance, in night racing conditions where the terrain is tight with sharp turns, it is preferable to light up terrain close to the vehicle. However, in wide open terrain it is preferable to light up terrain further off in the distance from the vehicle. In addition, it is desirable to provide protection for the lights during daytime racing when the lights are not needed.
Presently, race teams typically purchase light housing assemblies and build custom light rack assemblies for their vehicles. However, these custom assemblies are often limited to the single mounting point provided by the manufacturer. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,742,436 and 4,357,651 provide single point mounts for the lights. Undesirably, the center of gravity of the light is substantially cantilevered from the single point mount of these designs. Typically, the vibration loads inflicted during off-road racing are so substantial that it is common for these single point mount lights to come out of adjustment, or for the mount point of the light to fail. In addition, these designs are not readily adaptable to allow for adjusting the position of the light while the vehicle is in motion. Thus, there is a need to provide a light rack assembly capable of handling the severe vibration loads inflicted in off-road racing conditions while still providing the ability to adjust the beam of light to the preference of the driver. Further, there is a need to provide an effective way to provide protection for the lights during daylight conditions when the lights are not needed.